The signs of stress are subtle. Muscle cramps, a slight twitch in one eye and irritability.

Friends suggest I take a few days out.

This is not so subtle.

The island of Bali is like a giant wellness retreat. It is five-hour flight and when you alight a driver takes your bag while you acclimatise to the warm, humid air and the earthy smell of incense.

It is slow, spiritual and verdant. I don't want a weight loss program or hours of vigorous activities.

I want to sleep, write, think and swim. I want some clarity and I want to slow down, for a few days at least.

For this I have chosen my favourite five-star Bali resort in the form of the Four Seasons, which has recently had an extensive make-over.

As our lives speed up in direct correlation to our connectivity it is now possible to have a highly productive working holiday away from the noise of daily life.

Bali, for its quick flights, temperature, service and range of accommodation options, is an easy if not lazy choice.

One of the many appealing things about the Four Seasons in Jimbaran Bay is its proximity to the airport.

Half an hour after leaving the terminal I am at the resort and being assigned a double ocean view room over-looking the bay.

Two beers are on ice alongside a platter of betle leaves and squid and crab salads.

The Healing Village spa menu sits on the coffee table.

The king size bed is swathed in translucent fabric.

The bathroom has an oversized bath (with a cushion for your head) plus an inside and outside shower.

In the morning, I witness a delicate pink sunrise over a private pool.

As an enthusiast for wellness retreats I want to test the theory that the de-stressing can be just as easily achieved in a five-star luxury resort.

On the first morning, I opt for an excellent Balinese black coffee, fruit and poached eggs.

The hotel has a range of pre-planned activities every day starting with Chakradarshan yoga and finishing with evening meditation classes.

The staff insist on the Suara Jimbaran treatment in the open air overlooking the bay.

It is 120 minutes of massage, gongs, chants and frankincense and you leave disorientated, having entered another universe.

This is what I came for. The prospect of my mind emptying of the day-to-day clutter.

If, unlike me, you are more of a thrill-seeker your day could just as easily involve canoeing, sailing, paddle boarding or honing your back-hand in the tennis clinic.

I couldn't think of anything worse.

Likewise, if you have children there is another itinerary (sweet making, kids' tennis) woven into the daily schedule of activities.

Day one passes dreamily beside the pool, a lazy margarita at sunset and a selection of Indonesian dishes at Sundara, the resort restaurant.

I am coaxed away villa and the pool framed by a graceful Flame tree and the intertwined limbs of a Pule.

Outside there is an army of people waiting to assist.

I wander aimlessly through the limestone passages along the beachfront delighting in the private beaches and the lush gardens designed by the famous landscape architect Australian Made Wijaya.

Born Michael White, Made moved to Bali after developing an infatuation with the island as a young man.

He eventually converted to Hindu and passed away in 2016 in Saint Vincent's Hospital in Sydney at the age of 63.

The gardens are central to the appeal of the resort with bougainvillea and crooked frangipani trees sprouting aesthetically across the lush green lawns.

I meet Luisa, the head of the hotel chain's Asia Pacific spa's, and we talk enthusiastically about Bali healers and the power of realigning our chakras.

I set aside two hours for a body scrub and massage to support my overworked adrenals.

The Adreno Selamat is heavenly. It occurs to me not for the first time an indulgent body scrub might be a worthwhile expense.

The writing is underway and my theory about a luxury resort as an alternative to a wellness retreat is proving sound.

An evening margarita (this is what is missing in the wellness industry) and a visit to the resort's cooking school to try traditional Balinese grilled prawns, chicken satays and grilled snapper was delicious.

Balinese cuisine is simple and the produce bountiful in the four restaurants on the property.

On the full moon the staff dutifully stop by the temple overlooking the ocean and pay homage the spirits, good and bad.

It is customary to placate the bad, recognising in all of us there is good and evil, but in doing so trust the bad is overwhelmed by our natural goodness.

On the final night, I sleep deeply, waking long after sunrise. The twitching eye has gone and the unpredictable muscle cramps have eased.

The car arrives to spirit us north to the Four Seasons in Ubud, it is the smaller and, according to the locals, the more spiritual of the two properties.

But they are designed to be experienced as a team. One outward facing the other inward.

My chakras are in need of alignment.

The writer stayed as a guest of Four Seasons for more information fourseasons.com.